Electric iron fitted with a current indicator



G. H. I OFTS.

ELECTRIC IRON FITTED WITH A CURRENT INDICATOR.

APPLICATION HLED sEPT.2|,192o.

1,407,430. Patented Feb. 21, 1922.

siding at care of UNITED srATEs "PATENT oFF-Ice.

`GEORGE LOFTS, 0F HOBART, TASMANIL A'STR'ALIA.

ELECTRIC IRON FITTED 'WITH 'A CURREN T INDICATOR.

Specication of Letters Patent. Patented Feb, 21, 1922,

Application led September 21, 1920. Serial No. 411,867.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known-that I, GEORGE HARRY Lor'rs, a subject of the Kinydro-Electric Department, Elizabeth Street, Hobart, in the State ofTasmania,.Commonwealth of Australia, electrical engineer, have inventedcertaln new and useful Improvements in Electric Irons Fitted withCurrent Indicators, of whichthe following is a specification.

My invention relates to electric irons that are fitted with means forindicating when the power is on and current is {iowing through the ironto heat same, and has for its object to provide va device whereby, whenlthe iron is actually in use, the indicating means, such as a' buzzer ora, lamp, shall be cut out of operation, but as soon as the handle of theiron is released, the indicator will continue to warn the user if thepower remains on the iron.

According to my invention, l' employ the iron handle supporting frame,which is mounted at one end on a cushion spring, to depress a platewhich plate, when depressed, becomes in series circuit with the heatingelement and in parallel with the buzzer.

' Means vare provided for limiting the throw ot the handle frame uponits cushion spring in order to avoid damage to the interior mechanismsthrough over pressure,

dln the accompanying drawings `itligure 1 is a side elevation of anelectri iron, part of the cover being removed to show the handlemountings and part of the short circuiting mechanism.

Figure 2 sho-ws in. planview part of the handleframe, buzzer and shortcircuiting means.

' Figure 3 is a detail -of the handle frame cushion and means forlimiting its throw.

Figure 4 illustrates in end sectional eleva-l tion the short circuitingmeans.

' short circuiting plate, while Figure 7 is a wiring diagram.

yThe handle frame 8 is secured in the iron casing by the bolts 9 andiscut at 10. The other end of the handle frame is cushioned upon thespring 11 that surrounds a bolt 9. Between the bolt and the spring is asleeve 12 that is slightly shortened to. provide a space between theframe 8 and the top of of Great Britain, re-

Figure 5 'sthe samev in side elevation,

the sleeve for the purpose of limiting the vertical movement of theframe on the bolt.

Thecut 10 will impart flexibility to the frame 8 that will be more orless pressed upon the spring 11 while the handle 'is gripped andthe ironis in use, and in order to reinforce the frame a flat steel spring 13isrriveted thereto and extends rearwardly to mount a goose necked plate14 in the end of which is 'an adjustment screw 15.

An insulating plate 16 is situated below the screw and mounts a springyplate 17, hereinafter called the cut out plate, and a platinum pointedcontact 18 respectively connected to the heating element circuit andalso with the buzzer coil 19. The latter is in series with the heatingelement and in parallel with the cut out plate 17 when in contact with18. The plate is covered below the screw 15 with preferably acoppersheath 20 insulated from 17 by mica plates 21. The

and screw 15 which, on impinging upon the cut out plate 17 will depressit into contact with 18., This will bring the plate 17 into series withthe heating element and'in parallel with. the buzzer 19. The closing ofthe plate 17 causes the buzzer ,current to be short circuited through17, thereby cutting out the operation of the buzzer or other indicator.rlhisy only takes place while the iron is in use but on discontinuingsuch use the mechanisms will return to normal and the buzzer will bebrought into seriesI again to warn the user that the power is still onthe iron and the warning sound will continue until the 'current isswitched oil'.

The buzzer will remain in series with the heating element but owing tothe relatively low resistance of the member 17, whilst a little currentwill still pass through the buzzer coil, the major portion will choosethe easier path through 17 and the buzzer will remain p silent- Havingnow described my invention, what I' claim as new and desire to secure byLet- 1. In an electric iron of the kind indicated,

under one end ofthe same and a springy cut-out plate that is broughtinto series in circuit with the heating element and in parallel with awarning buzzer when the handle is canted.

2. In an electric iron of the kind indicated, a lieXible handle frame tothe iron, a cushion under one end of same with means for limiting thevertical movement of the frame on its support, a springy cut-out plateand means for communicating the movements of the handle to the springyplate to short circuit a buzzer or other warning device that is Inormally in series with the heating element.

3. In an electric iron having a powers on warning means, a flexiblehandle Jframe to the iron, a supporting bolt at one end of the frame, acushion spring between the handle frame andthe iron casing and a sleeveabout the bolt between it and the spring that is slightly shorter thanthe spring.

4. In an electric iron of the kind indicated, a handle frame to the ironthat is cut transversely, a reinforcing llat steel spring, a

cushion spring under one end of the frame and a cut-out plate said llatspring mounting contact means that as the handle is canted depresses thecut-out plate causing the same to short circuit a buzzer or indicatinglamp.

5. In an electric iron of the kind indicated, in combination, a flexiblehandle frame, a flat steel spring riveted thereto, a goose neck on thespring, a set screw on the goose neck, a springy cut-out plate oninsulating means, a contact point on the same, which plate is brought tocontact with the point. when the handle is canted, as and for thepurpose set forth.

6. In an electric iron having a powers on warning means, in combination,a buzzer in the iron in series with the heating element, a flexiblehandle frame to the iron, a flat steel spring riveted thereto, a gooseneck on the spring and a set screw on the neck, a springy cut-out plateon insulating means and a point thereon to which the plate canbedepressed when the handle is canted to bring' the plate into serieswith the heating element and in parallel with the buzzer to shortcircuit the same, as herein described.

In witness whereof I aiix mgsilgnature. GEORGE HARR OFTS.

